Some students who took the AP U.S. government and politics exam recently were surprised when a question popped up about Taylor Swift and voting. According to CNN, the question was related to Swift’s drive to inspire voter registration ahead of the 2018 midterm elections via an Instagram post that had a link to the voter registration site vote.org.
The free response question appeared on the May 3 version of the 2021 AP Government and Politics exam and a spokesperson for the College Board told CNN that Swift’s 2018 voter registration post tied into key themes in the course, asking students to analyze how voter registration laws and procedures can affect civic participation, including voter turnout.
“We’re delighted to hear that AP students could relate what they’ve learned in their AP course to what they experience in their daily lives — and in this case, what they’ve read on their Instagram feeds,” White told CNN, noting that the question will not appear on the May 20 or June 3 versions of the exam. Swift, who had previously avoided weighing in on political matters, reversed course in 2018 and made her first explicit endorsements and public statements, with vote.org saying that her efforts may have moved the democratic needle.
Some of the students who took the exam told CNN the surprise question provided some comfort during a stressful time. “I am a huge Taylor Swift fan. I’ve been a fan for my whole life,” said Miri Feigin, 17, a Raleigh, North Carolina Junior who was wearing a Swift 1989 tour sweatshirt while taking the exam. “That question sort of boosted my confidence and helped me write a stronger free response.”